Adjustable strike



April 14, 1970 F, J, U S ETAL 3,506,293

ADJUSTABLE STRIKE Filed March 1. 1968 United States Patent 3,506,293ADJUSTABLE STRIKE Fred J. Russell, South Gate, Richard L. Armstrong,Santa Fe Springs, and Harold W. Falk, Escondido, Calif.,

assignors to Norris Industries, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif.,

a corporation of California Filed Mar. 1, 1968, Ser. No. 709,705 Int.Cl. Eb 15/02 U.S. Cl. 292341.19 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Theinvention is embodied in what is commonly designated a strike installedon a door frame against which a latch bolt strikes when the door isclosed, the adjustable strike being one built with an opening in it forreception of a latch bolt, thereby to hold the door in closed position.More particularly, the adjustable strike of the disclosure consists oftwo parts, one of which is a plate adapted to be fastened in fixedposition on the door frame, and the other of which is a movable platewhich can be shifted slightly to provide for snug engagement with thelatch bolt when the door is closed, and tightened in place in a positionof adjustment.

Since there is a certain limit to the accuracy with which a carpentercan work when mounting a strike plate on a door frame, so as to coincidewith the location of a lock already installed in a door, it is customaryto allow for a certain amount of freedom. If such allowance is not made,the latch bolt will not enter the hole in the strike plate when the dooris closed against the door stop. This means that the door may rattleslightly when closed. Although it might be possible to relocate aconventional single piece strike plate, this is a burdensome operation.When old and new screw holes get too close to each other, as they dowhen the change in position is only a small one, it may be difficult totighten the retaining screws sufliciently to retain the strike in itsproper position of adjustment.

In recognition of the need for providing some form of adjustment for astrike plate, various attempts have been made in the past to providestrike plate having multiple parts, adjustable one with respect to theother. One of the difliculties encountered by various attempts toprovide adjustable strike plates has been the provision of some meansfor making certain that, once relatively adjustable multiple parts of astrike plate have been fastened together, they hold their adjustedposition. To overcome this difiiculty, prior devices have resorted tonumerous bolts and lock washers, serrated engaging surfaces, and often asomewhat bulky and expensive construction to permit building into thedevices the necessary degree of security from maladjustment. Some priorart devices of this kind are exemplified by Patents Nos. 3,257,139 and1,297,528.

In an attempt to make adjustable strike plates which are simple incharacter, some prior art devices have resorted to flanges at the edgesof the latch bolt opening which can be bent slightly by means of ascrewdriver, once installed, to provide some degree of adjustability inorder to engage the latch bolt when it enters the hole. At best, theseless expensive adjustment attempts are approximate only and are notalways capable of a sufiicient amount of adjustment, to accommodate alldegrees of tolerance in the initial mounting of the strike plate on thedoor frame. Also, they tend to bend out of adjustment.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improvedadjustable strike device which has ample latitude in its adjustmentcapabilities and which,

Patented Apr. 14, 1970 ice at the same time, is one capable of firmlyholding its adjustment, once the parts have been secured in position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedmultiple piece adjustable strike device of relatively simpleconstruction, having parts which are of simple construction.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedmultiple part adjustable strike device which is relatively flat andcompact, so that it will present a neat appearance when in place on adoor frame, but which will require only a shallow mortise cut-out in thedoor frame, but which will be capable of adjustment and readjustment bysimple means, whenever that might become necessary.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of thedevice, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafterset forth, pointed Out in the appended claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side perspective view of a fragment of door frame showingthe adjustable strike in assembled position mounted on the frame.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the adjustable strike assembled inmounted position.

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view of the adjustable strike.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view of two of the principal partsof the device.

In an embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose ofillustration, there is shown a door frame 10 provided with a stop 11attached to a face 12 of the door frame 10 upon which the device of theinvention is to be mounted. A latch bolt clearance hole 13 is made inthe door frame 10 substantially larger than any latch bolt which mightbe used with it and over which the adjustable strike of the invention isapplied.

The adjustable strike consists primarily of two plates consisting of anouter overlying plate 14 and an inner underlying plate 15, full detailsof which are readily discernable in FIGURE 5. Two screws 16 and 17complete the assembly. These two screws 16, 17 could be wood screws orthey could be machine screws, depending on the material composition ofdoor frame 10.

The outer overlying plate 14 is substantially rectangular in crosssection and is provided with a centrally located latch bolt opening 18of rectangular configuration. The latch bolt opening 18 is somewhatshorter and narrower than the clearance hole 13. A supporting or guidestrap 19 is located at an edge 20 of the outer overlying plate 14, thematerial of the strap 19 being punched from the material of the outeroverlying plate 14. In practice, some material may be removed from theouter overlying plate 14 so that the breadth of the strap 19 will besomething less than the breadth of the punched out portion. The strap19, moreover, is pressed to a position beneath the surface of the outeroverlying plate 14 whereby to leave a space 21 of suflicient breadth toaccommodate the thickness of a portion of the inner underlying plate 15.Screw holes 22 and 23 are provided for the screws 16, 17.

The inner underlying plate 15 is also generally rectangular with respectto its outermost configuration and is preferably slightly shorter andnarrower than the outer ovelying plate 14. Wings 25 and 26 are adaptedto underlie upper and lower portions of the outer overlying plate 14,the wings 25, 26 being spaced from each other to pit)- vide asubstantially central, rectangular latch bolt opening 27. On one side ofthe inner underlying plate 15 is a strike lip portion 28 whichterminates at one edge in a deflected lip 29. The inner edge of thestrike lip portion 28 may be provided with a tab 30 bent to a positionsubstantially at right angles with respect to the plane of the innerunderlying plate 15, the tab 30 being somewhat shorter than the lengthof the latch bolt opening 27. In the wing 25 is an obliquely positionedslot 31, and a similar slot 32 is provided in the wing 26, the axes ofthe slots 31 and 32 being parallel to each other.

When the plates 14 and 15 are assembled in overlying relationship, onewith respect to the other on the door frame 10, the screw holes 22 and23 will coincide with corrresponding portions of the slots 31 and 32. Atthe same time, the strike lip portion 28 overlies the strap 19 andprotrudes to exposed position beyond the edge of the door frame 10.Also, at the same time, the latch bolt openings 27 and 18 are insubstantial alignment, so that edges of one or the other, as the casemay be, define all four sides of an effective opening for reception ofthe latch bolt (not shown). The tab 30 defines an edge of the openingagainst which the latch bolt (not shown) will be retained. It is thisposition of retention which requires shifting laterally with respect tothe latch bolt clearance hole 13 in the door' frame when an adjustmentbecomes necessary to prevent such a conventional latch bolt from aretention which is too lose, or on the other hand, which may be solocated as to prevent the latch bolt from entering the latch boltopening 27, 18 at all.

Adjustment can be made by leaving the screws 16 and 17 slightly loosewhen they are driven into the door frame 10 so that the inner underlyingplate 'can be shifted laterally to a desired position of adjustment.There is, moreover, a sufficient clearance between ends of the strap 19and respective edges 37 and 38 of the strike lip portion 28 to allow fora limited shifting of position in a vertical direction. The length ofthe inner underlying plate 15 is made enough shorter than the length ofthe outer overlying plate 14 that, irrespective of how much adjustmentmay be necessary, the outer overlying plate 14 will always conceal theinner underlying plate 15. To accomplish this, the width of the innerunderlying plate 15 is also made enough narrower than the outeroverlying plate 14 to accomplish such concealment irrespective of theadjusted position of the inner underlying plate 15. When the adjustedposition has been properly determined, the screws 16 and 17 are thendriven tightly into the door frame 10, interlocking both plates 14 and15 firmly to the door frame 10. Should any readjustment be necessary,all that is needed is to loosen the screws 1 and 17, readjust theposition of the inner underlying plate 15 and then again to firmlyfasten the screws 16 and 17.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what isconceived to be a practical and effective embodiment, it is recognizedthat departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention,which is not to be limited to he details disclosed herein.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support ofLetters Patent is:

1. A two plate adjustable strike assembly for mounting on a door framewherein said door frame has a clearance hole therein for a latch bolt,said assembly comprising an underlying plate element having an openingtherethrough for a latch bolt, said underlying plate element having anoperative position in engagement with said door frame adjacent saidclearance hole therein, an overlying plate element having an operativeposition in overlying relationship with said underlying plate element,said overlying plate element having an opening therethrough for a latchbolt, one edge of the opening in said underlying plate elementcomprising a retaining edge for a latch bolt, said underlying plateelement having slot means therein extending in an angular directionrelative to the longitudinal axis of said underlying plate element,having a length less than the length of said overlying plate element anda breadth less than the breadth of said overlying plate element wherebythe underlying plate element lies completely concealed beneath theoverlying plate element in all positions of adjustment and a lateralextension on said underlying plate element comprising a strike lip, saidoverlying plate element having fastening hole means in substantialalignment with said slot means, and adjustable fastening means extendingthrough said slot means and fastening hole means into engagement withsaid door frame whereby to fasten said plate elements to each other andto said door frame in the selected position of adjustment and to saiddoor frame.

2. An adjustable strike means according to claim 1 wherein saidadjustable fastening means comprises at least two screws on respectiveopposite sides of said openings.

3. An adjustable strike means according to claim 1 wherein saidretaining edge comprises a tab on said underlying plate element whichextends into the hole in said door frame.

4. An adjustable strike means according to claim 1 wherein said strikelip is greater in vertical length than the vertical length of saidopening from the latch bolt and less than the vertical length of saidunderlying plate element. 7

5. A two plate adjustable strike assembly for mounting on a door framewherein said door frame has a clearance hole therein for a latch bolt,said assembly comprising an underlying plate element having an openingtherethrough for a latch bolt, said underlying plate element having anoperative position in engagement with said door frame adjacent saidclearance hole therein, an overlying plate element having an operativeposition in overlying relationship with said underlying plate element,said overlying plate element having an opening therethrough for a latchbolt, one edge of the opening in said underlying plate elementcomprising a retaining edge for a latchbolt, said underlying plateelement having slot means therein extending in an angular directionrelative to the longitudinal axis of said underlying plate element, saidoverlying plate element having fastening hole means in substantialalignment with said slot means, and adjustable fastening means extendingthrough said slot means and fastening hole means into engagement withsaid door frame whereby to fasten said plate elements to each other andto said door frame in a selected position of adjustment and to said doorframe, and wherein said underlying plate element has a strike lipportion on one lateral side of said opening therein and said overlyingplate element has a supporting strap on one lateral side of said openingtherein at a location underlying said strike lip portion and in slidingrelationship therewith.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,439,036 4/1948 Bohnsack29234l.18 2,713,506 7/1955 Wickstrom 292341.18 3,257,139 6/1966 Russell292341.18 3,416,829 12/1968 Russell 292-34l.19

FOREIGN PATENTS 599,209 1/ 1926 France.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner E. J. MCCARTHY, Assistant ExaminerUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. ,293Dated April 14, 7

FRED J. RUSSELL, RICHARD L. ARMSTRONG, HAROLD w. FALK It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the Drawings:

FIGURE 3 Reverse the arrows of the section line designation 44.

FIGURE 4 Change the reference character "25" to -26--; change thereference character "16" to -l7-.

In the Specification:

Column 3, line 51, Change the reference character "1" SIGNE AND QERLEUmm) M) Arm:

Edvmrdunetdwnl'r. mm 3, p. a 0" JR. l u" 7 l ORM PO-1050 [10-69)USCOMM-DC 6O876-P69 U45, GOVIINMINT nulmuc orrlct "n o-ui-au

